Poker News – Poker Coach Donna Blevins Speaks Out For Online Poker

When Fox 13 News in Tampa called Poker Players Alliance for an interview about online poker legislation in Florida, PPA called me. As PPA’s Florida State Director, I was thrilled and set aside a day for the 4-hour round trip for the interview.

Imagine my disappointment when the news piece aired and was slanted towards addiction. I understand how the media is driven by sensationalism.

Sure, I realize that TV news ratings are determined by viewers, and we, as a society, want to hear about the gorey details. We’re rubber neckers straining hoping to see the blood and guts of a traffic accident, and we forget to rejoice when we arrive safely without a moment’s delay.

My first reaction when I saw the piece about how one woman was dropping $20k a month online while another man, who spoke from the shadow, had lost nearly $500k, “They need coaching!”

My second reaction was ego-driven, “Where am I?… Yegads, the camera is very unforgiving!”

The ‘they need coaching’ comment might sound flippant in print, because it looked that way to me when I just wrote it, but, it’s flat true. Many people benefit from a coach that is a loving mirror. One who notices addictive behavior and tags them by giving real-time feedback that can make a difference in their lives.

Not everyone has an addiction to gambling, just like a lot of people can drink socially and are not alcoholics. I’d be willing to bet (no pun intended) these same arguments came about with the end of the Prohibition era in 1933. It may take more time than we’d like, but Mr. Muny has a lot of us on his side who have been steadily contacting our lawmakers. Something good has to come from that. We are voters.

I’m sure you are right, Cheryl, that the same arguments were out ther during the Prohibition of alchohol. When I look back at history, it is a cycle that keeps repeating. My wish is that we would learn that it is unwise to limits American’s freedoms.

You are exactly right that players can play online right now. Regulation has the potential to restrict our choices and will make online play more expensive. State regulation, however, is less dangerous than federal poker legislation because, unlike the states, the feds have the power to legally ban unlicensed off-shore sites, which the states cannot do.

You should read all proposed federal poker laws, which – with one exception – would make online poker illegal without a license and would ban off-shore poker sites. The exception is the Tribal Online Gaming act of 2012., which does not change existing federal laws that exclude poker from the federal definition of gambling.

Senator Reid will make sure that any federal poker law defines poker as gambling under federal law and bans off-shore sites, giving the casinos in his home state of Nevada a monopoly over online poker and seriously restricting our choices to play online.

The law right now allows off-shore sites to offer online poker and the PPA is supporting federal legislation which would change that. The PPA needs to wake up and withdraw its support of federal online poker legislation.

Oh for God’s sake. Let’s just go back to prohibition and tell folks they can’t drink. And hey, here’s a GREAT one to legislate. Let’s get rid of smoking! That not only hurts people, it kills them and the folks around them. Legalize online poker so that it can be safe, fair, and fund some much needed tax coffers in every state. It’s such a no-brainer. Scary our lawmakers don’t see that but want to regulate us from ourselves. Elderly, shut ins, care-givers…. now they have to choose to leave the country rather than stay with friends at home in the US in order to play their favorite pasttime? For every addicted gambler, how many are there who have fun and play sanely? Back to alcohol, really?

We must continue on in the quest to enlighten outsides to show them a world they will never experiences because of there fear.

To really see the benefits it would bring the need to come in and look around talk to the real grinders get the real every day stories. Learn what the problems are then we can work together to fix it..

Their arguments are ridiculous! Any gambling addict in Florida can get in their car and drive to a casino or parimutuel facility to gamble or even buy lottery tickets or scratch off cards at the gas station. It’s funny that these politicians claim to be for smaller government and to want government out of our lives while at the same time advocating for a nanny state.

Yes, Joanne, gambling addicts have vast choiced in Florida. You might imagine how I held back about the woman’s other addictions in the piece… food, pills, and whinning. I just didn’t want to be snarky.

Hi Donna, what makes me laugh, is that all these politicians; they are telling us that they have never played cards, they lie. We know they have played cards. In the news broadcast, it is amazing how they portrait a person that might lose money, and not the one who make money. If this country played darts as a profession or as an amateur like in Europe, this government would try to stop the game of darts.

I, as you know, would like to make my game of Holdem and yes I should try to play Omaha etc, take my game full time, but I know it takes a good coach, a mindset coach like yourself.

Poker is not a second hand citizen game. This government needs to regulate and legalize the game online to allow tournaments like the WSOP and bring back the entries to above 10K and prize money over 10 million by allowing online sites to offer satellites to allow many more to play.

Steve, yes, online poker enables the average citizen the opportunity to compete in the big events by winning their entries from the comfort and convenience of their own homes. I welcome the day when we have the ability to select from many sites that offer that.

Federal vs. State legislation of Poker: The bigger issue is what is the role of the Federal government? There are those that want to limit Federal powers – but wait, why not let each state secede from the US and disband the USA altogether? Ask the USSR how that’s working out. No, the Federal government in its purest form as envisioned by the founding fathers was to provide an umbrella of protection and a template for laws and social behavior.

While personal freedom is so very important, and protected by our Constitution, does that trump the need for/of our social community (the USA)? Star Trek’s Mr. Spock may have said it best: “…logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

Human beings can not agree on ANYTHING, let alone who would make the best President, the best political party, legalizing marijuana, the best flavor of ice cream, legalizing abortion, legalizing online poker, or even which way to load the toilet paper dispenser (feed over or under?).

So the Federal government MUST reflect the MAJORITY views of the people of the UNITED States, and therefore must be the authority for Federal legislation on legalization of online (& brick & mortar) poker, but allow each state SOME leeway as to how to enact the legislation to serve the majority of the people in that state. But that is also a slipper slope! Should you then allow each county the ability to enact legalization laws? Each city? Each neighborhood association?

In my mind, by choosing to live in the USA, each of us have agreed to abide by the laws of the MAJORITY of the people therein, as defined by the Federal government. If you don’t like that, then GET OUT AND VOTE and try to legally change it. If the vote doesn’t end up representing your views, and you can’t live with the will of the people, then just plain GET OUT.

Sorry, i don’t agree. If a state “opts out” of the Federal “template”, then that will actually ADD to the mismash of regulations. It basically has to be a Federal regulation. For example, would you allow Texas to “opt out” of a womens rights bill because they feel that is a state’s matter? I don’t think so. How about Mississippi “opting out” of a anti-discrimination law? NOT! Just look at Georgia and other bible-belt states and counties that have ridiculous anti-alchohol blue laws – sheesh! Federal regulations protect the rights of ALL individuals, as long as they are crafted correctly, fairly, and with the majority opinion.

You are eloquent and right, Vince. The anti-alcohol blue laws are absurb. I experienced them first hand in Virginia where I was raised and subsequently in Texas. I recall the history of a trailor park north of Dallas that actually incorporated as a ‘town’ in order to allow the sale of alcohol. Once a week an 18 wheeler would arrive, and they sold liquor out the back door.

Of course, we prefer would Federal regulation. Unfortunately, I’m afraid we have a snowballs chance in hell of getting that passed.

However, I don’t feel that comparing women’s rights and anti-discrimination laws with poker legistaion is appropriate. It certainly elicits an emotionaly response.

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Hi. I'm Donna Blevins! This site is about poker from a woman's point of view. It is about how to play the game and life lessons. Poker takes five minutes to learn, but a lifetime to master.Read more...

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